Tigers, It is now week 5 of the football season and we will turn our attention to our rematch with Liberty High School. Our last game result is irrelevant. Both teams have continued their journey of improving as athletes, students, and people. The Bison will be hungry to settle the score on the field. This game is double or nothing…the first victory will mean nothing with a poor performance this week. I look forward to seeing our Tigers show their growth since August in a phases of their lives. Here are some announcements for this week: - This week's game is at home on Thursday 9/16/21 at 3:15 PM (Red jerseys). - We will practice on Monday and Tuesday in full gear until 5-530. - We will practice on Wednesday in full gear until 4-430. - We will do team activities during 6th period only on Friday. Athletes will be released from school at the bell. -Please refer to the Calendar/Schedule in the Blast app for information on all team activities. Please understand that team activities are always on as scheduled unless they are cancelled by the Head Coach in a message here. -There have been changes to the calendar/schedule. We picked up a replacement game for last week’s unfortunate event. We will play Citrus Valley High School at home on Thursday 9/23 at 4 pm. This means we will have normal practice schedule for the entire week. Previously we had planned to have a “bye” week with lighter team activities. -Please continue to do everything you can to avoid spreading Covid 19 or being put on modified quarantine. Wear masks at all times inside. Complete your SWAY check in every day. Do not report to school with any Covid symptoms or if you have been in close contact with them. Ask your teacher to sit alone 6 feet away from others if possible. Bring your own water to all team activities. Please communicate with the school/nurse when returning from modified quarantine or other illness related absences. - Parents and players, please remember that we are STUDENT athletes. Players are expected to complete homework after practice or during 6th period during study hall. Any player that earns 2 Fs or more/less than a 2.0 GPA will become academically ineligible to play in games at the progress report in 4 weeks. Our first grade check was mostly good, but some players have already gotten off to a bad start in the classroom. I give our team 45 minutes per day for study hall so they need to take advantage of it. - Although illness/Covid related absences will be exempt from team contract policies(not dressing for games, removal from team, etc.) understand that it is the job of the coaching staff to determine which players are most fit and ready to play a game. If your athlete has missed multiple practices (even though out of their control), we have a responsibility to make sure they are prepared and ready to compete in a live setting. Players are expected to be at all team activities unless communication has been made with the head coach through Blast, Hudl, or email ([email protected]) - Now that we have started the school year, players must understand that they cannot "quit" the team. They are locked into 6th period athletics as a PE class and their grade will be determined by their performance outlined by the team contract. This means being present at all team activities unless communication and decisions are made by admin or coaching staff. Players who "quit" (stop showing up to team activities) will receive an F in 6th period athletics for PE. We started this together and we will finish together. If a player decides that football is not for them, it is best to finish what they started and make that decision after the season. Go Tigers! Beat the Bison! -Coach Kirschman